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A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

 

A New Awareness

As with any journey of discovery, there comes a time when you must leave the comfort of what you know as a light-hearted view of life to explore the true nature of your reality. With this in mind comes the realization that this newsletter must now begin to evolve to present more in-depth information so that you can further your own journey of discovery and kindle within the curiosity to explore your own spiritual truths and path.

Drama and Detachment

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts ...." so why does everyone seem to be so determined to be the lead role in a dramatic life story? That's how the world seems to us some times. Drama, pathos, heart-wrenching hurt and turmoil; those are the aspects of life we're familiar with. How easy it is to forget the joy, the exhilaration that life can hold; from a child's first word or step to graduation to marriage and beyond, or a glorious sunrise, time with family or friends or even being alone. The sheer delight that is inherent to life gets buried beneath a never-ending dramatic saga.

Recently a few friends have been raising the questions "Why is it some people don't seem to have any problems in their lives .. off they go on their merry way ..... nothing seems to happen to them ....?" Funny thing is that right now you're probably agreeing with most of those sentiments and possibly getting a little miffed that it just might be true. No one has ever suffered like like you have. Why does this (or these things) always happen to me? Every life has drama conversely every life has joy. Unfortunately it's easier to see the drama because our egos can sit and wallow in a pool of self-pity and we can commiserate in misery with others. We can put on the blinders and just mourn and wail for what we thought we had. Shall we live a life of self-pity ... what does that give us? Actually it gives us hurt and plenty of it.

Strangely, the size of our drama is directly related to our age and our situation;

  • from the 3 or 4 year old who drops his ice cream and their world crumbles with the melting treat
  • to the 16 year old that's just been dumped and their self-worth is shaken and their heart is aching
  • to the mature parent who looses a child and weeps as if their heart is about to burst with grief
  • to the terminally ill patient who mourns that they won't see their children or grandchildren grow up and marry
  • to an elderly person becoming widowed who fears not only death but being alone.

We all have drama and every situation we face can be the basis for another drama. While some of these dramas are a necessary part of life and each in it's turn is vital to our understanding of ourselves and of how we choose to live our life. Drama can estrange our friends, family and loved ones ... the vary people who are here to support us in the physical sense. What we choose to do with that drama defines not only us but how others see us. "I'm not going there .... What ever you do don't mention .... They're such drama queens" We've heard that sentiment and others, we've possibly even uttered them. It's like we've come to depend on the people in our life to experience the heart-wrenching drama that we make ourselves suffer through and when we find others that seem detached or uninterested we get miffed ... "how dare they not feel my drama", "how dare they not react", "why don't they care." Conversely if we feel that they themselves don't have drama in their life ... we get annoyed and miffed that they won't admit to it. "How dare they not have turmoil and hardship in their life! ..... Look at all the crap I have to deal with" and so on.

The reality is that this is a false perception. Of course they have problems, of course they have drama. We all do ... it's how they choose to deal with it that is the difference and it's a big difference. We have a choice; we can allow ourselves to be buried under an ocean of self-righteous self-sacrificing pity or we accept that this is something to be experienced and allow it be what it is going to be. Remember "going with the flow" .... and yes it is far easier said than done. Unfortunately this is usually where the ego steps in with comments like "I deserve ...., but I did my share ..., but my pride ...., why can't I have ... " or any number of self-righteous statements that end up pitting the world against you. The world isn't against you ... that's ego's definition of drama and it makes for an excellent dramatic albeit soap opera type plot for a life story with every turn and twist becoming another potential best seller!

That's where detachment comes in or at least it has to start there. I talked about it as part of compassion and a few other topics. With detachment you can be caring and loving without attaching yourself to all the drama you have to experience. Some drama strikes a lot closer to our core and we have a hard time separating the heart-wrenching emotional connection and the logic of why, where, and how. However once we learn and practice putting it into perspective it becomes second nature. We can raise ourselves out of the drama of our lives and allow ourselves to experience what must be, without judgment. It becomes an understanding that if this is something we're going to experience then let's get on with it for however long it takes to work through it. It also is the predecessor to experiencing unconditional love; for when you remove the drama you can find the way to love the spirit within everyone. It doesn't mean you have to like them in this life but you can understand and accept that they also are loved unconditionally by the Divine, God and Goddess.

Then we run smack-dab into another drama .... but why does that happen if we believe or know that our drama is over or almost over. Why? ....because we may just be there in order to help someone else go through their drama. Again it's vital that we go through the same process in order that we can help them to understand that it's just something to be experienced. It's not something to get all bent out of shape over. Unfortunately no one is going to tell just how soon it'll be over, just trust that it will end at some point.

We must be careful not to confuse detachment with emotional coldness, uncaring, and cold heartedness; these are not the same thing. You can be truly loving and caring, you can give and help where you need or want to and still be detached from the drama. We are emotional creatures ... it's what makes us human. You just have to remember you're in charge of your emotional attachment and whether or not you're going to allow this experience to cripple you. There is a very fine line that separates detachment from uncaring coldness. Sometimes it's very hard to distinguish between the two but trusting in your own true self and your Divine-given intuition and guidance you will find your way through.

Ultimately a drama is an experience ... some good, some not so good, some may even feel down-right disastrous but it is still an experience. Detaching from the emotional blackmail of the situation allows you to carry on through the drama to see it to the end.

I bid you gentle sailing across your life's dramas and clear sight for your journey. Blessings.

 

CRYSTALS

Beryl

Beryl comes to us from the United States, India, Russia, Brazil and Australia. Beryl can be found in many colours ranging from yellow and gold to green and blue to white and pink. Beryl as a family of stones also includes such stones as emeralds and aquamarines. Beryl has it's roots in ancient Middle Eastern lore and is said to have been a magic stone that would help it's wearer become and remain closer to God. Beryl was also used in ritual magic and as a scryer's stone.

Beryl as a healer's stone is said to work on the organs that clean, detoxify and eliminate wastes from the body. Beryl is also said to help with eye-sight and eye-strain; simply place beryl on the eye as you lay down to relax and release eye strain. It is said to help alleviate homesickness and any nervousness when traveling. Beryl is also beneficial to the digestive tract and to the circulatory system due to the fact that it can ease the elimination of blockages, toxins and opens the body to healthy balance. Beryl is also said to help strengthen the bonds and emotions of love and togetherness for married couples.

On the spiritual level Beryl is a stone of letting go; letting go of things that you shouldn't be doing. It alleviates the need to do and to hold on to that which no longer serves a purpose in your life. In doing so Beryl becomes a stone to relieve the feelings of stress while aiding in giving you a new direction to use your energy in. Beryl is also said to help one feel worthy of success and of great potential. While representing a purified body and spirit, Beryl allows the user to release the emotional baggage that can hold them back from achieving greatness. Known as a purifying stone Beryl is said to aid in purifying the spirit and opening up the connections to intuition, guidance and Divine love.

 

Ocean Beryl

Ocean Beryl

 

A BLESSING for LAMMAS

The celebration of Lammas or High Summer is an early celebration of the harvest. For now the early crops are being harvested and the forecast for our season of bounty is now tangible. We relish the hot summer days for even now we notice that the sun is beginning to set earlier, a reminder that autumn, our season of bounty and the start of the ancient new year, is approaching. So for now we celebrate the hot days of summer and the fruition of our dreams and hopes.

"Universal Light, Christ Consciousness, be with us now,

As the days of high summer shine on,

Your love is ever present, expressed in bounty now tangible.

Warmth fills our bodies and souls as we celebrate the summer

and the manifestation of our early bounty.

These shall be our reminder of our ever present connection to

Your absolute Divine Love."

Blessed be.

 

MONTHLY MEDITATION

"On Criticism and Misunderstanding"

"I will not waste my time in talking about the faults of others. If I find myself inclined to enjoy criticizing others I will first talk loudly against myself before others.

I will criticize no one unless asked by him to do so, and then only with the desire to help.

I will try to please everyone by kind, considerate actions, ever striving to remove any misunderstanding knowingly or unknowingly caused by me.

I will always hold aloft an unfading torch-light of continuous kindness to guide the hearts of those who misunderstand me.

I wipe away my tears of sorrow, finding it does not matter to Thee whether I play a big or small part, so long as I play it well.

I will seek God first, then all my desires will be satisfied. Whether I live in a palace or in a hut will make no difference.

I will use my honestly acquired money to live simply, doing away with luxury.

I make up my mind that nobody can excite me by insulting words or deeds, and that nobody can influence me by praise to think I am greater than I am.

I will care nothing for cruel, false criticism nor for garland of praise. My sole desire is to do Thy will, to please Thee, my Heavenly Father.

I will speak the truth, but I will at all times avoid speaking unpleasant or harmful truths. I will offer no criticism that is not motivated by kindness.

I will spread the sunshine of my goodwill where the darkness of misunderstanding lies."

 

From Metaphysical Meditations by Paramahansa Yogananda